Self-balancing barrier gate



B. COOPER ET AL SELF-BALANCING BARRIER GATE March 18, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 10, 1955 INVENTORi, BENJAMIN 600F5 2 By MURRAY J61-64125? A TTOENEX March 18, 1958 B. COOPER EIAL 2,826,840

SELF-BALANCING BARRIER GATE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 10, 1955 FIGZ.

. zvmvrons. BENJAMIN COOPER BY MURRAY .1. 41/4257 @2617 A TmmvEx2,826,840 SELF-BALANCING BARRIER GATE Benjamin Cooper and Murray J.Charet, Brooklyn, N. Y., said Charet assignor to said Cooper ApplicationNovember 10, 1955, Serial No. 546,061 3 Claims. (Cl. 39-43) Thisinvention relates generally to barrier gates and more particularly to anovel self balancing barrier gate.

Barrier gates per so are well known in their public use as readilyremovable barriers which prevent access to railroad crossings or tollfacilities, or the like. The particular barrier gate hereinafterdescribed is particularly adapted though not limited to, use with tollfacilities. It is conventional to use a barrier gate at toll facilitieswhen the vehicular lane is closed to traffic. Heretofore, the commonpivotal type barrier gate which swings horizontally has been utilized.This type requires manual movement throughout the entire swingof thegate. ancing structure which may be readily moved in a vertical arcuatepath for a portion of the arc of travel and which will continueautomatically till it is arrested at the limit of movement. The presentgate, briefly may be described, as the type which is pivotal from ahorizontal position to a substantially vertical position. In the formerposition, the vehicular lane is blocked by the arm of the gate andtraffic may not pass therethrough. When raised to the substantiallyvertical position, the vehicular lane is unobstructed and vehicles mayproceed :as required. Heretofore, self balancing gate have relied solelyupon counterweights to facilitate the opening and closing thereof. Suchcounterweights introduce severe shock upon the arresting of movementthereof. The present invention employs a novel toggle-type mechanismincorporated with shock absorbing means to permit the gate arm tocontinue movement in a free, unrestricted manner while preventing anyshock at the end of the path of travel.

Accordingly, one of the tion resides in the provision of a novel barrierprincipal objects of 'the invengate balancing mechanism having means toboth assist and ret tard the movement of the gate arm duringrespectively different portions of the path of travel ofsaid gate arm.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a barriergate having means to adjust the retarding and assisting means.

A further object is to provide a novel toggle-type mechanism forassuring against accidental movement of the barrier gate.

Other ancillary objects will be, in part, hereinafter pointed out andwill be, in part, hereinafter apparent.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of the barrier gate illustrating the gatearm in horizontal position.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the gate mechanism with the side coversremoved to more fully illustrate the component parts thereof.

Figure 3 is a plan'view of the gate mechanism with portions of themechanism omitted to clarify the understanding of the remainingportions.

Figure 4 is an end view with the rear cover removed,

. showing the disposition of the various elements of the mechanism.

nited States Patent Q The present invention provides a novel self balicenates the barrier gate having a supporting structure 12, comprising atop wall 14, a pair of parallel side walls 16, a front wall 18 and arear wall 20. The top wall 14 abuts against an angular wall 22 which inturn engages the front wall 18. Provided in the top wall 14, angularwall 22 and front wall 18 is a slot 24 for a purpose hereinafterappearing. As shown in Figure 1, a stub arm 26 extends outwardly fromsaid slot and is provided with a socket 28 therein. The barrier gate arm30 is adapted to be inserted within the socket 28 and secured therein bymeans of bolts 32 or the like. Barrier gate ar-m 30has aflixed to thefree end thereof indicia bearing member 34 for a purpose hereinafterapparent.

The supporting structure for gate arm 30 comprises a frame work 36generally consisting of pairs of angular members 38, 40, 42, 44 and 46.These angular members are provided in pairs in opposed relation andsecured therebetween are further members which co-operate to form asubstantial rigid structure. Diagonal member 50 is secured by welding orthe like between each of the base members 40 and the respective verticalmembers 42. A cross plate 52 is centrally aflixed to and disposedbetween the diagonal members 50 for a purpose hereinafter appearing. Asshown in Figure 4, there is provided a pair of hinge pins 54 which aredisposed in aligned relation and supported by the respective side plates16. Hinge pins 54 provide the pivotal point around which the gate arm 26rotates.

Means are provided to mount the stub arm 26 on the hinge pins 54 anddirected toward this end there .is provided a U-shaped member 56 whichhas in the respective arm portions, coaligned apertures 58 which areadapted to receive the hinge pins 54 therein. Stub arm 26 is affixed tothe base section of the U-shaped member 56 by welding or the like andarcuately pivots therewith about the pivot pins 54. Also secured to thebase portion of U-shaped member 56 are a pair of spaced shackles 60which are adapted to secure the ends of a pair of coil springs 62thereon. Similarly, the cross plate 52 is provided with a pair ofshackles 60 which are adapted to secure the opposite ends of therespective coil springs 62 thereon. As shown in Figure 2, the uppershackles 60 are positioned forward and below the axial center of thepivot pins 54. Thus, in effect, springs 62 provide an over-the-centeracting toggle.

Accordingly, springs 62 will retain the arm 26 and co-extending arm 30in their respective arrested positions and only when the gate arm ismoved more than fortyfive degrees will the gate arm seek its secondaryposition.

Thus, it will be obvious that manual movement of the gate arm slightlymore than forty-five degrees will result in the toggle springs 62motivating the arm the remainder of the distance of travel. In movinggate arm 30 from one position to the other, springs 62 will expand untilthey pass through the axis of pivot pins 58. After passing through saidaxis, the expanded springs 62 contract and assist gate arm 36 inmovement. This assistance is desirable, however, for the shock of thestub arm 26 against the prepositioned stop 70 would be damaging to thegate arm per se and to the pins 54. The present arresting shock meansare provided to arrest the pivotal movement of the stub arm 26 prior tothe engagement thereof with the stop Ill. Directed toward this end is ashock absorber 72 of conventional structure wherein two telescopingsleeves 74 and 76 respectively which co-operate to retard opposite axialsliding movement thereof. The shock absorber 72 is conventional and wellknown to any one skilled in the art. It may be briefly stated that theshock absorber 72 will compress as the gate arm is raised or lowered toa minimum length as the gate passes through dead center or forty-fivedegrees. Upon the continued movement, the shock absorber is expanded andit is during this expansion process that the shock absorbing elementstherein co-act to retard continued movement of the gate arm. The shockabsorber 72 is secured at one end to a shackle 78 adjustably attached tothe plate 52.and is pivotally secured at its opposite end to anextension 80 whi'ch extends rearwardly from the base of U-shaped member56 in a direction coaxial but opposite from the extending direction ofthe gate arm. A shackle 82 pivotally connects the sleeve 74 of shockabsorber 72 with the extension 80. As shown in Figure 2, the member 26abuts against stop ,70 when said gate is raised or in its uppermostver-.

tical position such as shown in dotted line. The gate arm 26,1' as shownin full lines in its lowermost or'horizontal position abuts against aresiliently covered stop 84.

In operation, the gate arm 26-30 is raised manually untilsprings 62 passdead center or in alignment with an axis drawn through said springs andalong the center of said gate arm. During this preliminary movement, theshock absorber sleeve 74-.76 telescopes inwardly and offer littleresistance to the movement .of the gate arm. Upon passing through deadcenter, the springs 62 then motivate the continued movement of the arm30 with a toggle action until the gate is arrested by the stop 70. Justprior to the gate arm reaching its end of travel, the expansion of thetelescoping members of shock absorber 72 is most efifective and themovement of the gate is in effect slowed down by the tends to cancel themotivating power of the springs 62. Such shock absorber action isconventional and well known to those skilled in the art.

Thus, it is apparent that there has been provided a device in which theseveral objects of the invention shock absorber action which.

i and retarding means being connected at their are achieved and which isWell adapted to meet the conditlons of practical use.

While there has been shown and described a single embodiment of theinvention, it is to be understood that modifications and changes mightbe made without departing from the scope of the present invention,except as limited by the following claims:

The invention claimed is:

1. A barrier gate comprising a gate arm, support means having a pivotmeans operatively connected to a rear portion ofsaid arm, a pair of stopmeans on said support means having engagement with said arm at theopposite limits of its swinging movement, spring means and retardingmeans operatively connected to said arm at points spaced from and onopposite sides of said pivot means, respectively, and also connected tosaid support means intermediate the opposite limits of the swingingmovement of said arm.

2. The combination of claim 1, said spring means comprising a tensionspring connected at one end to said arm forwardly of said pivot means,and said retarding means being connected at one end to said armrcarwardly ofsaid pivot means and comprising means to retard elongationof said retarding means, and said spring means other ends rearwardly ofsaid pivot means.

3. The combination of claim 2, the connection at said other end of saidspring means and retarding means being located on a common axis.

Guth et al. Nov. 7, 1950 Hawkins July 26, 1955

